Improvement in feeding mechanisms for sewing-machines



T.AK. KEITH. Feeding-Mechanism for Sewing-Machines.

No. 198,915. Patented Jan. 1,1878.

N. PETERS. FHOT0-LIYHOGRAPHER. WASHINGTON. D. C.

THOMAS K. KEITH, OF HAVERHILL, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO MOSES I 'PATENT-Ormea How, or SAME rtnon IMPROVEMENT IN FEEDING MEcH/rNfsMs FOR- sEw|NGMAcH|NEs.

Specication'forming part of Letters Patent No. 198,915, dated January l, 1878, :application led same with a portion of the bed of the machine and the rockshaft removed. Fig. V3 repre-` sents an end view of the same. Figs. 4 and 5 represent views of the conoidal grooved disk;

Similar letters of reference refer to like partsin all `the gures.

This invention is an improvement on a prior i I `are not my invention, as they constitute a comf lmon four-motioned feed mechanism adapted invention of mine for which Letters Patent were issued to me October 9, 1877, saidipat` en ted invention consisting in the combination, with the stitch-forming mechanism of a sewing-machine, of a feed-dog adapted to recipro-v cate the work lor material being stitched in a horizontal plane, instead of propelling itin a single direction, and thus cause the stitchforming mechanism to produce a series of elon'- gated stitches, which the' operator could combine in various ornamental designs by turning the work laterally'during the operation. y

The present invention has for its object to enable an ordinary four-motioned feed-dog, adapted to propel the work in a single direction, as usual, to be converted into a two-motioned horizontally -reciprocating feeddog, adapted to reciprocate the work instead of propelling it in a single direction, 4so that one andthe same feed-dog can be employed in forming the elongated stitches above referred to, as well as in forming the ordinary continuous lines of stitches.

To this end my invention consists in the provision of means whereby an ordinary fourmotioned feed can be converted at thewill of the operator into a two-motioned feed, reciprocating in a substantially horizontal plane, so as to reciprocate the work instead of propelling it in one direction, as I will now proceed to describe.

In the drawing, a, represents the bed of a october 23, ism.`

a pivoted lever, b3, which bears against the side of a cam, c', on the driving-shaft, and is provided with a vertically-adjustable fulcrum,

e, the cam c and fulcrum e giving the bar b1 iits horizontal motion. The fulcrum e is located -on the end of an arm, el, which projects from a roclcshaft, e2, the latter being journaled in bearings in the bed a, and capable of being rocked, so as to raise and lower the fulcrum e, `and thus vary the horizontal movement of the `feed-bar.- The parts thus far described in themselves to propel the work in a single direction only, as usual. .l p

To convert the feed-dog into a two-motioned or horizontally-reciprocating feed, adapted to reciprocate the work instead of propelling it in a single direction, I employ the means which I willnow describe. f represents a vertically adjustable rest, which is adapted to raise and support the bar b1 of the feed-dog at the highest point to which the feed-dog rises when operating as a fourmotioned feed, and, while allowing the feeddog to reciprocate horizontally, prevents it from rising and falling While in its raised position.` The rest f is a projection formed on a llever, f1, whichis pivoted to the underside of the bed a, and depends therefrom in an inclined position, and is `held with a yielding pressure against the Varm "c1 ofthe rock-shaft g represents a lever, whichis pivoted'to the feed-bar-blby the side 'of the lever b3, and is adapted to oscillate and bear against the fulcruin e in like manner as the lever b3, and is adapted, as hereinafter described, to reciprocate the feed-dog horizontally when the latter is supported in its raised position by the rest f.

h represents a conoidal or tapering disk rigidly attached to the end of the driving-shaft d, and provided in its periphery with a cirsewing-machine, provided with afour-motion ed feeddOg, b, attached to a bar,b, whichis of cumferential endless groove, h ,Y which extends other, excepting where theyintersect, as shown in Fig. 5. The conoidal form of the disk h gives the groove a varying diameter, the part nearest the base or larger end of the disk being of a larger diameter than thel part nearest the smaller end.

The lever g has a lug, g, pivoted to its lower end, and this lug is adapted to engage with the groove h at one side of the disk in such manner as to follow the groove as the disk revolves, the lug being alternately in the outer and inner portions of the groove, and the lever g being adapted to rock or oscillat-e laterally to a suiicient extent to enablev its lug to follow the line of the groove. A spring, g2, holds the lug g1 in the groove with a yielding pressure.

It will be seen that when the lug g1 is in the outer portion of the groove h the lower end of the lever will be farther from the axis .of the disk h than when the lug is in the inner portion. of the groove. Therefore the passage of the lug from one part of the groove to the other causes the lever to swing in and out from the axis of the disk h, and when the fulcrum eis in contact with the lever g, as hereinafter described, this motion of the lever will reciprocate the feed-dog.

When the sewing-machine is arranged for vdoing ordinary work, the feed-dog propelling the work in a single direction, the fulcrum c is raised, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3, the lever g and disk h being so arranged that when the fulcrum is in this position it will not bear against the lever g,- hence the latter is inoperative. At the same time the arm el holds the lever f1 in suchrposition that the rest f is depressed, and does not support the feed-bar b1,- hence the feed-dog is operated solely by the cams c c', arm b2, and lever b3, whereby a four part motion is given it, as usual.

When it is desired toformthe elongated ornamental stitches before referred to, the operator turns the work-shaft e2 so as to lower the arm e1 and fulcrum c. The'motion of the arm e1 allows the lever j to be turned on its pivot by the spring f2, so as to raise the restf and -cause the latter to raise the bar b1 and feed-dog b to the highest point reached by the latter in feeding the work, the spring f2 being sufficiently strong to prevent the feed-do g from falling while in this position, so that the rest constitutes a support uponwhich the bar b1 can reciprocate horizontally without rising and falling.

The depression of the fulcruln e causes it to bear against the lever g, so that, as the latter is oscillated or swung toward and froni the axis of the disk h by the grooved disk, as described, the fulcrum will cause the oscillation of the llever .g to reciprocate the feed-bar b1 and dog b, as will be readily seen. Thus the feed-dog is converted by a single movement of the rock-shaft from a four-motioned to' a two-motioned feed, and vice versa.

I prefer to provide the rock-shaft c2 with a lever, c3, whereby it may be turned, this lever working between two stops or catches, e4 e5, whereby the rotation of the rock-shaft is limited.

My improvements can be applied to a sewing-machine in a short time and at small cost. In the machine -represented the fulcrum e is elongated, so that it will serve for the levers g and b3, and the lever r/ is provided with an offset, g3, on the side next the lever b3, this offset forming a bearing for the fulcrum when the lever g is engaged with the outer portion of the groove h', and, therefore, moved somewhat away from the lever b3.

I claim as my inventionl. In a sewing-machine, a feed-dog adapted, when in its normal condition, to propel the work in a single direction, combined with mechanism, substantially as described, for raising and supporting said feed-dog and preventing it from risingl and falling, and mechanism for y reciprocating it in a substantially horizontal plane, whereby, when the said feed-dogv is raised and reciprocated, it reciprocates the work instead of propelling it in a single direction, substantially asvand for the purpose speciied.

. 2.1In combination with the feed-dog b, the adjustable rest j', adapted to support said feeddog in a raised position, and mechanism, substantially as described, for raisin g and lowering said rest, as and for the purpose specified- 3. In combination, the ,oscillatin g lever g, the feed-d0 g b and bar b1, the conoidal grooved disk h, the pivoted rest j', provided with spring f2, the fulcrum e, the arm el, and the rockshaft c2, substantially as described.

4. In combination with the conoidal disk h., having the intersecting endless grooves h', and the lever g, adapted to oscillate in two direc'- tions, and provided with the pivoted lug gl, the spring` g2, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. y

THOMAS K. KEITH.

Witnesses:

CHARLES M. How, O. F. BROWN. 

